District will test all water sources for lead, provide filtered water where issues found in preliminary spot sampling
Eugene School District 4J is taking precautionary steps to ensure safe water supplies. The health and safety of students is a top priority.
The district is testing for lead in drinking water in all schools and facilities and developing standard protocols to communicate and correct any issues that are found.
Preliminary spot sampling has found a few cases of slightly elevated lead levels, in samples of water that had sat overnight or longer, in two drinking fountains at Sheldon High School and three little-used sinks located at Roosevelt Middle School, Kennedy Middle School and the district office.
The fixtures have been repaired or taken out of commission. Since there is not time to test all water sources at all four sites before the end of the year, the district is erring on the side of caution and taking the following extra precautions:
- Providing bottled or filtered water to the four sites with identified issues.
- Flushing out water sources at all schools in the district every morning before use, in accordance with EPA guidelines.
The district will contract with an independent third party to undertake comprehensive, district-wide testing for lead.
All water faucets for drinking and food preparation will be tested, following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) testing guidelines. The district expects to receive the results of testing and address any issues that are found before school resumes in the fall.
If any elevated lead levels are found, the district will take steps to address the cause and provide a safe environment for students and staff. The district will:
- Immediately stop the water from being consumed and provide safe drinking water.
- Identify and eliminate the source of the lead.
- Retest the water to ensure it is safe for students and staff.
- Notify parents, students and staff of the results and actions taken.
